Tuesday, September 7, 2010

So, this last week end was my birthday, and I thought that there would be no better time for my art banana experiment to be officially born. As with all of my projects I always have huge aspirations of taking over the world. I envisioned a tour involving a three month greyhound pass and hundreds of art bananas to be found by an legions of unsuspecting art deprived Americans. BUT, these Art Bananas take time and money to make, so while I am preparing for my evil plans, there is no reason why I can't get this thing started with a few baby steps before I break into an outright run. Anyway, on Sunday I placed three Art Bananas around my town and I am awaiting responses. I may never get responses, but one can hope. The awesome thing about this experience, is that I KNOW at least one person per banana will be confronted with art, because even if they are simply a worker cleaning up who ends up throwing the banana away, they still have to pick it up and look at it. No matter what, they can't be ignored. These three all went to commercial locations, Panera Bread, Something's Brewing, and Hastings. So if you were brave enough to pick one of these up and found your way to this blog, don't be shy! Let us know what you think! If you are shy however, thank you for finding your Art Banana, and I hope that you enjoy it!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

It has been a while since I have posted on here and I intend to change that. Some personal health issues have prevented me from getting the ball rolling like I would have liked, but now I am back in the game!

So, the first art banana has made it's way out into the world and the story is an awesome one! That day I had no intention of releasing any bananas into the community, but when a car pulled into the parking lot of the Starbuck's I was haunting that said. "We want the banana!" on the rear window in giant letters, I realized that that moment was destined to be the first public art banana experience. Here is the story as told by the the recipient of the banana herself:

"A few weeks ago, I walked into Starbuck's and was greeted by a friendly face and a red, painted banana. I was convinced that this woman was part of an ongoing practical joke that had started by a cheerleading squad that was attending a camp where I was instructing. Anyone who has ever been to one of these cheer camps knows that there is a big blow up banana (a.k.a. "the banana") that is given to the most spirited squad at the end of each day. Needless to say, "the banana" is a much sought after award that compels many squads to get creative with their attempts to take it home for a night. As you can see in the picture, this particular squad found my car and wrote "WE WANT THE BANANA!" on the back window. Oddly enough, Ms. Aquaheart just so happened to have started her "art bananas" movement that day and if my memory serves me correct, I was the first or one of the first to receive one of the art bananas. Due to the humid air and our fear of being late to camp, the other instructor and I just so happened to drive to a Starbuck's that was within walking distance, which resulted in our receiving the art banana. I still carry the banana with me in my cheer bag and end up telling the story to everyone who sees it. For me, my art banana is not just a piece of painted fruit, but it is an artsy reminder that everything really does happen for a reason and you never know what's going to happen next! And yes, just like I got my banana from Ms. Aquaheart, that squad got "the banana" to take home as well! :) "

This account was written by Yasmeen Abdelaal, a student and the University of Arkansas. Thanks so much to Yasmeen and her friend for being the start of the Art Banana movement!

Monday, April 19, 2010

If you are here you probably have come across one of our pieces and are wondering more about them.Simply put an art banana is an art piece in the form of an artificial banana. Put in a more complex way, it is an unexpected art object that when found by the average person can't be denied at least a little bit of curiosity. This curiosity forms an experience for the person who has found the art object and therefore that person has experienced art. Human beings need creative experiences in order to thrive and be more than the sum of their parts, thus the art bananas provide a vital public service to the people that find them.

Maybe a business person is at a coffee shop for their morning coffee and over the edge of that nonesensical report they are reading they see a glint of color on the next table. Upon second glance the see an oddly engaging object with a tag that reads: ART BANANA (free). They have a secret moment of delight and tuck the banana away in their black attache and procede to work. When they get there they take the banana out of their bag and place it on their desk. It becomes a part of that persons life and with one whimsicle little object they are given an ongoing reminder that the world is so much more than reports and spreadsheets. Imagine a similar story with a construction worker, a school age child, someone who just got done visiting their psychiatrist, how would these people react to an object like this? Well, I hope to find stories like that as I distribute my art objects through out the world!